Twill weave fabric



Jan. 6, 1 942. s. H. SCHEUER 2,269,321

TwILL wEAvE FABRIC l Filed Oct. 8, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 A ORNEY5.

Patented Jan. 6, 1942 UNITED STATES PAT ENT 0 EFILCE rWrLL-WEAVE men-1cv Sidney-R1 Scheuer, 'NewI YorkrxN. Application october` s,1941,'*scnc1No1414,043 :.2 claims. y 01; 139-4417) o .My ,presentinvention;relates generallyv to the weaving art, andrhas particularreference toa Anew type of ornamentalwoven fabric.

A general objectof theinvention is to provide .a fabric having avuniquevtype of ornamentation consisting of a series of'nely-spa-ced wavy orsinuous lines extending diagonally across the fabric,l in combinationwith a'series of parallel 1ongitudinal .bands or shadow stripes. .By theterm shadow stripes yI referto bandsbetween `whichthere are no clean-cutlines of demarcation, eachband shadinggradually into the bands oneachside of it.

A more specific object of the invention is .to bring about this noveleffect as an inherent characteristic of the woven fabric, independent ofany extraneous. surfaceprinting or other ornamentation that maysubsequently be applied to the fabric,

Shadow stripes are not new inthe art but v unusual effects are produced.when the goods are finished.

By the term swellable yarn I intend to refer to any type of yarn whichhas the characteristic of expanding or swelling when'it is wetted, e.g., during the usual finishing procedure. Among the yarns which meetthis requirement are most of lthe continuousrlament synthetic yarns,such as rayon,cuprammonium;nitrocellulose, acetate, viscose and-similaryarns. On theotherhand, cotton-.and vother spun yarns'are unsuitable forthe present' purpose because the twist which'they necessarily possess(which, for example, in the case `oi. spun rayon isjusually betweentwelve and twenty-four turns per inch depending upon the size of theyarn) prevents the desired ultimate swelling of the yarn from takingplace when the goods are nished. Spun yarns,.there fore, whethercomposed of synthetic'bers .or not, are not intended `to be includ-ed inthev term swellable'yarnl as .that term is used herein.

One ofthe features of the present invention lies in the fact that theweft. threads have a the closely-woven f bands. creation'of unusualobliquetwill lineswhi'ch ex .tendin sinuous .fabric.

y, uniform density, while4 the, warp threads A.areispe- -.cially reededlto adeline'V inl the., fabric certain; predetermined spaced parallelibands V,ofv relatively `closely-woven texture,v the intermediate bandsU.beingf relatively loosely-woven texture, the interengagement betweenvthe weft ,and warp threads conformingto the same selectedtwill weave.throughout the traverse of the weft threads .across saidbands. When thefabric, thus woven,

is subjected to' the .usual nishing procedure,.the threads in theloosely-Woven bands and atthe margins of, the closely-woven bands,become swollen toa `greateruextent. than the.threads in This'results inthe fashion diagonally acrossV "the Furthermore, because of. rhcxfactthat-the threads. in' the loosely-iwovenibands are .enabled to .swe111toa maximum degree, Whilethe'threads at the :margins of the closelyewovenbands un- Adergoa swelling-only toan intermediate degree, :there `is':no clean-cut line. of demarcation in the finished" fabric between eachtwo adjacent bands.

f Asl a result,.,each ,band of the inished. fabric shades graduallyinto. the adjacent ,bands on each sidevof it thus producinga .shadowstripe effect.

This' shadow stripe, coupled with the wavy Aobliquetwill lines,"producesan ,unexpectedly attractive Aornamentation which makes the t fabricusefulj and desirable* for a, large variety of purposes. The. uniqueeffect that is ,produced is ythe combined result of I'the type of' yarnYwhich is used, the manner `in which 'thewarp threads are reeded in'jtheloonrthe .even density ofthe weft threads, and vthe use of onlyasingleselected most cases preferred, .orf any other selected twill'cwi-11' weave across the width ofythc fabric.

'Thetwill weavev that is used may bejthe. ordinary,,so-calledthree-leafweave, which is in produ-ced ,in the finished fabric.

Similarly, the warp threads'may-be reeded'in a variety of different waysdependingA upon the particular pattern that is-desired vZliorexarnple,'18` ends maylbe arranged^ in 6 dents for 3 ends inla:,dent)alternating'wi'th 12 ends arranged in 6 dents '.(OrL121endS-insadent) ,thereby :creating `.a shadow Astripee effectl of "relativelysimple i'characterfin which ',the'xstripesaor bands fare; allofapproximately thefsamerwidth.

Other possible patterns, offered here merely by way of example, could beproduced as follows: Pattern 2.-The warp threads are reeded 12 ends in 4dents (3 ends in a dent), alternating with 8 ends in 4 dents (2 ends ina dent).

Pattern 3.-The warp threads are reeded: 12 ends in 4 dents, (3 ends in adent); 8 ends in 4 dents, (2 ends in a dent) 12 ends in 4 dents, (3 endsin a dent) 8 ends in 4 dents, (2 ends in a dent); 30 ends in 10 dents,(3 ends in a dent); 20 ends in 10 dents, (2 ends in a dent), and thissequence of reeding is then repeated across the width of the fabric.

I achieve the foregoing objects, and such other objects as mayhereinafter appear or be pointed out, in the manner illustrativelyexemplified in the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic View showing one way of producing a fabric ofthe present character;

Figure 2 is a cross-sectional View taken substantially along the line2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an exaggerated plan view of the fabric produced as indicatedin Figures 1 and 2 prior to any finishing procedure;

Figure 4 is a View similar to Figure 3, showing the appearance of thefabric after the finishing procedure; and

Figure 5 is a photographic plan view of a piece of fabric constructed inaccordance with the present invention, showing a slightly differentpattern from the one that is shown in Figures 1-3.

At I0 I have diagrammatically illustrated the heddles through which thewarp threads are threaded as they are drawn from a single wrapbeam atthe rear of the loom (not shown). At II I have indicated the reed, andin Figure 1 twenty-two complete dents are illustrated. It will beunderstood that Figure 1 is of an exaggerated and enlarged nature, andthat in actual practice the loom forming the present fabric may use areed having as'many asforty dents per inch, or more. Obviously, thelongitudinal distance between the heddles I!) and the reed II of Figure1 is greatly foreshortened, as are the other longitudinal relationshipsillustrated, this gure being intended to be purely diagrammatic.

In the particular pattern illustrated in Figures 1, 2 and 3, the warpthreads are alternately reeded twelve Yends in six dents, and eighteenends in six dents. More particularly, `it will be observed that thetwelve threads between those designated I2 and I3 are passed through sixdents, two threads to a dent, while the next adjacent eighteen threads,lyingA between those designated I4 and I5, are also passedV through sixdents, three threads being reeded through each dent. The latter group ofwarp threads produces, in the finished fabric, a band of relativelyclosely-woven texture. The rgroup of .warp threads between thosedesignated I2 and I3 produces, in the finished fabric, an adjacent bandof relatively loosely-woven texture. These two bands are illustrative ofthe `entire series of adjacent parallel bands,lalternately of relativelyclosely-woven texture and of relatively looselywoven texture.

Notwithstanding the formation of these various groups of warp threads,it will be understood that the threads are worked individually by theharness in the usual manner.

The reference numeral I6 is applied to the filler threads which, as willbe understood by those skilled in the art, are successivelyshot acrossthe loom by means of the shuttle and are then beaten down by reciprocalmovements of the reed II.

In Figures l, 2 and 3 I have chosen to illustrate the employment of athree-leaf twill weave, i. e., each filler thread passes under two warpthreads, then over one warp thread, then again under two and over one,etc. However, it is only every third filler thread that passes under andover exactly the same warp threads, the interengagement of theintermediate filler threads being successively shifted laterally inaccordance with well-known procedure. Each filler thread, however,conforms to the same selected twill weave throughout the entire traverseof the ller thread across the bands of compactedand less-compacted warpthreads.

The relationship of the weft and warp threads, after the actual weavingprocedure but before any nishing procedure, is illustrated in anexaggerated manner in Figure 3. It will be observed that the band I'I isof relatively looselywoven texture, while the band I8 is of relativelyclosely-woven texture, this being the result of the special reeding ofthe Warp threads. Because of the twill weave that is employed, a seriesof oblique twill lines are discernible in each of these bands, but theObliquity of these twill lines is greater in the denser band I8 than inthe looser band I1.

The fabric is ultimately subjected tothe usual finishing treatmentduring which time sizing and impurities are boiled olf, and at theSametime such dyeing as may be desired 'is effected. Both the warp andweft threads having been purposely composed of swellable yarn, thesethreads proceed to swell during the wetting to which they aresubjected.` The threads in the loosely-woven bands, such as the bandI'I, proceed to swell to a maximum degree, thereby closing allinterstices 4and presenting an ultimate appearance as indicated inFigure 4. Both the warp threads and the ller threads now present widersurfaces to View. Also, the diagonal twill lines become wider and morepronounced.

The threads in the relatively closely-woven bands, however, areincapable of swelling or eX- panding to any substantial degree, as aresult of which the twill lines remain relatively narrow, and thelight-reecting,properties of these bands are different from those of theother bands.

At the `margins of the closely-woven bands, the threads expand or swellto an intermediate degree. This in indicated by the threads designatedI9 in Figure 4. 'Ihese threads cannot swell to the maximum degreebecause they are partially held in relativelyrm interwoven relationship.Nevertheless, their expansion is not completely impeded since there is'some room for them to expand in the direction of the looserwoven bandson each side. 'Ihe result of this partial swelling is twofold. yIn thelfirst place, it destroys any clean-cut line of demarcation between theclosely-woven band I8 and the relatively loosely-woven band I 'I. In.the second place, the interaction between the threads in the marginalregions I9 brings about a gradual curvilinear merger between the obliquetwill lines in the band I'I and the steeperI oblique twill lines in theband I8.

These same effects are produced at the opposite side of the band I8, 'i.e'., between'the band I8 and the next adjacent loosely-woven band' 20.Not onlyvis there a destruction of any clean-cut 1. A'nished ornamentalwoven fabric in which f line ofdelnarcation between the bands I8 and 20,but there is created a curvilinear juncture between the oblique twilllines of the band I8 and the less-oblique twill lines of the band 20.

The ultimate result is unique and unusually ornamental. Not only is ashadow stripe effect produced, running lengthwise of the fabric, butthis striped ornamentation is coupled with a series of wavy obliquetwill lines extending in sinuous fashion diagonally across the fabric.

I have illustrated in Figure a piece of nished fabric embodying thesenovel features, the alternate bands of relatively closely-woven texture2| contrasting in a pleasing manner with the intermediate bands 22 ofrelatively looselywoven texture. The unique sinuous or wavy twill lines,extending diagonally across the fabric, are clearly discernible in thisfigure. The particular pattern shown in Figure 5 is the one hereinbeforedescribed as Pattern 3.

Since the fabric may be produced on a simple loom, using a single weavethroughout and employing a single type of yarn, it can be manufacturedat relatively small expense. It is eminently suitable for mens wearlinings, for womens wearing apparel, for tie materials and scarfs, andfor decorative fabrics generally. As a printing medium, the fabric formsan interesting background, and because of the inherent ornamentalcharacter of the background, printed effects are vastly enhanced.

In general, it 'will be understood that those skilled in the art maymake changes inthe details herein described and illustrated withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of' the invention as expressed inthe appended claims. It is, therefore, intended that these detail-s beinterpreted as illustrative, and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention and illustrated its use, what I claimas new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

the warp and weftv threads are composed of swellable continuous-filamentyarn having little or no twist, the weft threads having a uniformspacing throughout the fabric but the warp threads being reeded todefine in the fabric predetermined spaced paralle] bands of relativelyclosely woven texture and intermediate bands of relatively loosely woventexture, the interengagement between the weft and warp threadsconforming to the same twill weave throughout the traverse of said weftthreads across said bands, the threads in said loosely woven bands andat the margins of said closely woven bands being swollen to a greaterextent than the threads in the closely woven bands, the oblique twilllines thereby extending in sinuous fashion diagonally across the fabric.

2. Anished ornamental woven fabric in which the warp and weft threadsare composed ofr swellable continuous-lament yarn having little o1' notwist, the weft threads having a uniform spacing throughout the fabricbut the warp threads being reeded to define in the fabric predeterminedspaced parallel bands of relatively closely woven texture andintermediate bands of relatively loosely woven texture, theinterengagement between the weft vand warp threads conforming to thesame twill weave throughout the traverse of said weft threads acrosssaid bands, the threads in said loosely woven bands being swollen to amaximum degree and to a greater extent than the threads in the closelywoven bands, the threads at the margins of said closely woven bandsbeing swollen to an intermediate degree, each band of thenished fabricthereby shading gradually into the adjacent bands on each side of it andthe oblique twill lines extending in sinuous fashion diagonally acrossthe fabric. SIDNEY H. SCHEUER.

